U.S. Rep. Peter King speaks at an event in Great Neck on Sept. 2, 2015. Photo Credit: Jeremy Bales

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Peter King charged Friday that American lives will be put at risk because federal authorities aren't equipped to conduct terrorist screenings on the 10,000 Syrian refugees whom President Barack Obama has ordered to be admitted into the United States over the next year.

King, the Seaford Republican, raised his concerns on the same day that Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-St. Albans) and 75 other House Democrats sent a letter to Obama urging him to boost the number of Syrian refugees admitted to 100,000.

Over 12 to 18 months, he said, refugees are screened by counterterrorism, FBI, Homeland Security and intelligence officials and databases; have to give biographical and biometric data; and must submit to interviews.

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